Epitaph
by Mountain King
Summary: An epitaph for a hero
1. Epitaphs

Epitaph

* * *

><p>Luke Smith<p>

Luke stared into the mirror. Life. It was a strange concept. He'd heard once that a live body and a dead one had the same amount of atoms, the effect of one or the other should have been the same. It was a cold observation, heartless and so incredibly wrong.

Life was immeasurable, etherial. That one quality that could never be seen or fully understood. Until now that was a comfort, that one unanswered question. Superstition and religion had tried but Luke was a scientist, he couldn't see any other way to be and now it had let him down.

The boy in the mirror looked back at him with haunted eyes. He wanted to see tears. He wanted to scream, shout, to tear his room apart with his bare teeth. Burn it all to the ground.

None of that would help, not even the Doctor could help. Instead he just looked back at himself. Knowing that he had lost something. Something that couldn't be measured or understood.

* * *

><p>Maria Jackson<p>

Maria had fallen into the chair as soon as she'd heard the news. It was like a thunderbolt to her heart. Her father was already on the phone, booking their flight back to England.

There'd been nothing, no warning no chance. She was just gone, taking a huge part of Maria with her. She closed her eyes and remembered the word she had shown her. That fateful night, just after moving into Bannerman Road.

She saw the lights from her bedroom window, unable to sleep Maria's curiosity got the better of her and she sneaked out. They she was, with an alien. Helping it reach back into the stars and back home.

All their adventures; aliens, monsters things that defied description. Wonders beyond anything she could have dreamed.

Maria cried, she cried because she couldn't stop. She cried for Luke and her friends.

* * *

><p>K-9<p>

K-9 Mark Four ran the information through his positronic processor. There was only one possible conclusion. The task the Doctor-master had built him for was complete. He had only one possible option, to continue. Master Luke and his friends would need him, he'd be there for them. He owed it to her.

Master Luke was inconsolable, but K-9 knew his duty he would continue it until the end, as it should be.

* * *

><p>Clyde<p>

For the second time Clyde tied his finger into his tie. Screaming out loud Clyde ripped the damn thing from his neck and threw it into the corner. In his sudden anger he punched the wall. Again and again he pounded on the plaster, it hurt like hell.

He needed the pain, he needed to feel something more than the emptiness in his heart.

Four years, just four years earlier his best chance in life was tossing burgers. He didn't know where he was going now. In the last four years he'd grown into a man he could be proud to be. All thanks to her.

Now she was gone, and he was left. He couldn't even thank her, prove who he was now. She was gone and all he had to show for it was a broken hand.

* * *

><p>Mr Smith<p>

The equation is flawed, a vital component is missing.

Thousands of acute mathematical algorithms scattered across the Xylok's crystalline lattice. Information danced through the hybrid processor, silicon and crystal working in combination. Inescapable conclusions folded into each other, producing geodesic logic diagrams across eight dimensions.

A correct equation was perfect. Each problem solved with a symmetry that was almost holy.

The problem he had been set would not balance. The sides didn't match.

The equation was flawed. A component was missing.

* * *

><p>Rani<p>

Rani hadn't left the house. Not since she'd found her. It wasn't right, it wasn't. She'd fought Daleks and Zygons and antimatter monsters from beyond the edge of the universe.

Not like this. Not like this.

All the people she'd helped all the lives she'd saved. The world should know, it should be in mourning. Complete strangers should be in the streets, thanking her. Regretting… Children the world over should be crying their beds. Terrified that she was gone.

She was gone.

That didn't mean her job was. Rani knew she had to continue, had to find a way to keep going. In her memory, it was the only thing that would honour her.

* * *

><p>The Doctor<p>

'Was she a good friend?' Amy asked, tears standing in her eyes.

The Doctor put an arm around his companion and pulled her close. Nine hundred and eight years, friends came and went. As much as he loved humans their lives were so fleeting. 'One of the best Amy, one of the best.' he told her. Looking up at the screen as it showed Sarah-Jane Smith. Full of life, on her adventures with him.

He couldn't cry, it wasn't the place of a Time Lord to show emotion. Amy understood that without words, so had Sarah. 'It's okay.' She said quietly. 'It will be alright.'

'Of course it will, of course.' He said pulling her tighter.

End Epitaph

Authors note:

RIP  
>Elisabeth Sladen.<p> 


	2. Blue Sky

Blue Sky

Authors note:-  
>Alright I never intended to do a sequel to Epitaph. It was always supposed to be a one shot. Unfortunately I didn't know about Sky, those of you not watching the final six episodes, shame on you, this is obviously a spoiler, but I don't care. You really should see them. By fair means. preferably, or foul.<p>

Sky is basically a new born baby in a 12 year old girls body. As such she doesn't have the experience to understand very much at all. However unlike Luke she's not a genius, as such a lot more vulnerable. If it wasn't for the immense amount of raw electrical power she has as a living bomb.

* * *

><p>Sky didn't understand and for the first time she didn't want to. The house was full of people, the same people that were at the church not that long ago. It had been very strange to the young girl. The only people she knew sat at the front, but the whole place was full, as the nice old man said kind things about Sarah Jane. The only mother she ever new.<p>

People cried. People were sad and people told her they were sorry. Sky didn't know who any of them were, but they all said nice things.

But even after everything they said it was wrong and Sky didn't understand. Her mother wasn't gone. She was right there. Sleeping. She just couldn't wake up, and hadn't all week. As she slept they had come and put her in a dark brown box. Now that box was in the ground and people were still sad.

Luke had tried to explain, but every time he tried her brother began crying. It didn't make any sense, To her it shouldn't be too hard just to wake up, but her brother was right. What made Sarah Jane Smith who she was wasn't there anymore. She didn't know where.

All the people that came were so kind and so sad. Some of them just didn't know what to say. It was strange, they would open their mouths try to speak and just sort of wander slowly away. Even Clyde and Rani tried and failed. They did bring her some water and a sandwich, but Sky wasn't hungry. She hadn't been hungry all week, just eating a little bit here and there.

Eventually she left the house for the garden. Sky loved the garden, it was so green and smelt like Rani's mum. She should have smiled at all the pretty flowers that she had given them today, but again she couldn't. She was just too sad and wondered how long she would be.

Sitting on the green grass she looked through the window at all the people. Talking and being friendly with each other, all of them with the same sad, lonely expression as they talked. Even though she couldn't hear them she knew they weren't saying anything important.

It was how she often felt, outside from everyone else and looking in through tiny windows. Only seeing little parts of what was going on and understanding even less. She sat there for who knew how long, time seemed to slow to nothing. Thinking about everything that had happened as it went around and around her head.

How Sky had woken up late and went downstairs, looking for her mother. When she wasn't there Sky had gone upstairs and found her, still asleep in bed. When Sarah Jane didn't wake up Sky had gone to see Rani. The terrible look on the other girl's face. The way she couldn't stop crying and how Rain's mom had to call a big car with flashing lights, called an ambulance.

Then Clyde was there, the same terrible look on his face. Sky could remember every second of that look and never wanted to see it again. Now though it was the only thing she could think of.

Behind her something buzzed and she turned around. It was another person. He was tall and had a long dark green coat on. Standing up Sky found herself tangled up in her own legs and almost fell over.

Another stranger caught her hand and knelt down besides her. 'We don't want you falling over now do we?' The woman said. Sky saw the man in the green coat flick a magic wand open and look at it frowning for a moment. 'What are you doing out here all on your own?'

'Thinking.' Sky said politely, at last looking at the woman. 'I like your hair.' she said after a moment. Sky really did, it was all blonde and curly and came all the way down over her shoulders.

The woman smiled, 'I like my hair too.' She said. 'What's your name child?'

'Sky, her name's Sky.' The man in the coat said, closing his wand and hiding it in his coat. 'Hello.'

'Hello.' Sky blinked. 'Do you know me?'

'No, not really, but I knew you're mother, Sarah-Jane very well.' He told her.

Sky looked at him. 'Everyone knew my mother very well.'

'Not everyone.' The man said, pulling a small soft toy from his coat. 'She liked this very much.' It was a soft brown thing with big eyes. Sky looked at it and back at him.

'What is it?'

'It's an owl.' The woman said standing up and looking past Sky.

The man nodded and then looked up. Sky turned around and saw Rani's Mom and Dad come out of the house. The woman took a few steps back as Rani's parents got between them.

'Who are you, what are you doing?' Rani's Dad asked.

The strange man who gave her the stuffed toy stood up straight. 'I'm a very old friend of Sarah-Jane's, I just wanted to pay my respects.'

'He doesn't look that old.' Rani's Mum said quietly, 'Are you alright Sky, my dear.'

Sky nodded, showing her the toy. 'He just wanted to give me this.'

'And say goodbye, one last time.' The man looked up at the window to the attic.

'Just who are you?' Rani's Dad asked again.

The man turned and walked away. 'Come along Song. Give my regards to your daughter, her brother and Clyde Mr Chandra.'

Sky watched them walk away as Rani's mum took her back inside. There Clyde, Luke and Rani were waiting by the door. 'What happened, what's wrong?' she asked her mother.

'There was a strange man with Sky. Oh my stars I was so worried. You shouldn't talk to strangers.'

Sky held her new owl close. 'He wasn't a stranger, he was a friend of mothers. He said he was.'

Somewhere outside a low hum began to get louder and quieter as Rani nodded, 'He might have, but don't forget people can lie some…' she trailed off and looked at the others. 'No' she whispered.

Clyde didn't even joke, he just ran out of the house, Luke and Rani ran after him. Sky followed. Outside and across the road Rani's Dad was staring as a blue box flickered and vanished.

'Oh, it was the Doctor.' Sky said, at last smiling.

End


End file.
